If you could start over...

I am looking for those who have been around and can tell me what you would do if you could start over at year one, knowing what you know now but only having a 21' mower, trimmer, blower, and truck......This is were I am at and would like to hear some 20/20 hindsight.....thanks

I would at least do it right by going legit (which was the 1st thing I did, but should be the first thing anyone should do). I would advertise like crazy and save up enough money to get a good commercial mower.

i would wait, and save and get a commercial walk behind, hydro..... a 21 inch would not be worth the time honestly....

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Thank God you are the kinder, gentler Dave or I wouldn't even make this post.

21" mowers do have their place Dave, in fact that's all we use. Our average lawn is under 3,000 square feet and most have small back yard gates that do not allow for large walk behind mowers to access them. The yards that are accessible with a walk behind most people would prefer to be cut with the 21" and are more than willing to pay extra for this. If you live in a densely populated area with small yards this is a great market strategy as many people prefer the smaller mower. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't even consider mowing 1/2 acre or more with a 21" mower but there is good money to be made with a 21" if the conditions are right.

Thank God you are the kinder, gentler Dave or I wouldn't even make this post.

21" mowers do have their place Dave, in fact that's all we use. Our average lawn is under 3,000 square feet and most have small back yard gates that do not allow for large walk behind mowers to access them. The yards that are accessible with a walk behind most people would prefer to be cut with the 21" and are more than willing to pay extra for this. If you live in a densely populated area with small yards this is a great market strategy as many people prefer the smaller mower. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't even consider mowing 1/2 acre or more with a 21" mower but there is good money to be made with a 21" if the conditions are right.

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I guess you are right. However, from my experience if the yards are wet, tall, or think our 21"'s have a little trouble. Where as our 48 and 36 chomp right through it. I know that many people would prefer to have the 21" cutting there lawn. If they are gonna pay extra and you have the time then I think that would be fine. If they are not going to pay you extra for the more work and lost time than I would think twice about it. It could make the difference of a couple of more lawns that you cuold get done in that day and that my firend is your bottomline. JMO.

Start saving cash to buy bigger and better equipment. When the time comes be sure to buy machines that are rated for commercial work. This will save you many headaches and wasted dollars in the long run. Above all be honest and treat every lawn as if it were your own. When you are working pretend that someone is watching you because they probably are. I once started to pull away from a lawn and realized that I had missed trimming a small section at the corner of the house. I stopped the truck got a trimmer off the rack and tool care of it. Little did I know that the elderly home owner was watching from a window. The next week when I returned she told me she saw me and thats when she knew she had the "right guy"......lesson learned. Good luck!

I would save and get all of the right equipment the first time, instead of buying cheap crap, then upgrading everything little by little. And I too would have started doing this alot earlier.

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Same here! I wish I'd have bought good equipment first instead of buying and then b*tching about the piece of crap that I was having to work on just to keep it together.And to would have started alot sooner ,because as my wife says "Every pick-up you see pulling a trailer has a mower on it" Just my .02